


Forget Me Not

by key_baes



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Curse Breaking, Curses, Fairy Tale Curses, Fairy Tale Elements, Fantasy, Happy Ending, M/M, Magic, leaku
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-25
Updated: 2016-08-25
Packaged: 2018-08-10 23:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7865827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/key_baes/pseuds/key_baes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Riku is hired to eradicate a demon in the small town of Kilburn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forget Me Not

It was an unassuming town, Kilburn. The houses were of brick and the same dark oak of the forest surrounding its borders. Nestled on the road between the city and a port, it was small despite its bearing.

Riku had found it quaint and welcoming when he first rode in, a contrast to the bustle of the capital. It reminded him of home, its narrow streets and modest buildings. But the feeling left him upon meeting the townsfolk.

Save for the priest that had hired him, they avoided making eye contact. Conversations were short, and he had been hurried to a small room of the cheapest Inn in town.

As usual, many feared the warlock, his silver-white hair and eerie teal eyes making even those that sought his help suspicious of him.

He met the guardsmen tasked with leading him to the manor on the borders of the forest. The trail they were taking was long overgrown, with no signs of use; he wondered how many years it had been avoided.

As they picked their way over the roots of the trees looming above them, Riku addressed his guide. “Tell me more about our destination. I haven’t been told much, and I can’t go in blind.”

“O’ course you haven’t,” grumbled the young guard, Demyx, in a forlorn tone. His light blond hair stuck out from under his helm. “The problem with this place is that anyone that stays too long forgets it. Hard to tell you about a place we can’t remember.”

“What do you mean, you forget?” Riku asked; his coat fluttered in the cool breeze as they moved deeper along the trail. The way grew darker the further they went, the canopy above them blotting out the sun.

“Look-” his voice dropped, barely audible over the sound of the rustling trees, “-They say it’s a curse. Over the years, even before I was born, people would go in, but they forget, come out all dizzy and scared. Can’t remember it. Some of them think they saw something, like a ghost or a demon, but no one can say for sure - Well, until recently.” Demyx clutched nervously at the sword on his hip, ducking as he dodged hanging tree branches. “Not long ago, a kid went in, was dared to. Well, she was gone for days. When she came out, she said something about a demon with bright red horns.”  
  
“I see.” Riku pulled his journal and a magic quill from his pockets. He wrote as he walked, watching Demyx’s nervous steps as they went.

“We’re almost there,” the young guard called, stopping at the edge of a clearing. They’d reached what might’ve once been a garden; Riku could see the rusting tips of an ancient steel fence poking through brush and overgrown hedges, and beyond, the eaves of a crumbling house.

“Will you come along?” Riku asked, already guessing the answer when he saw the pale complexion of his guide.

“The effects o’ the place can start before you even reach the door. It’ll be better if only one of us goes in.” Demyx fidgeted, avoiding Riku’s gaze.

“Of course.” Riku turned, briskly making his way past the old fence line. He could see the building now. He imagined in its early years it would have been quite beautiful. The stone and brick veneer was now obscured by vines and grass, the top floor caved in from a fallen tree branch.

Not wanting to dawdle, Riku pushed past what had once been the entrance, ducking to avoid the vegetation. Immediately, he was hit with the presence of intensely strong magic, like water trickling down his spine. Some kind of spell was over it, he was sure. A shiver ran through him as he stepped into the former foyer.

As he took in his new surroundings, he realized that the interior of the building was in better shape than the exterior--although a layer of dust and leaves covered everything, there were no signs of encroaching vegetation or animals, and the old brick walls were void of mold and decay.

“It really could be a curse,” he murmured to himself, making a note in his journal. A place so untouched by nature usually meant trouble.

Remembering he was there to investigate a demon, Riku called out hautily, “Hello?” He paced through the dark, empty rooms as he went. “My name is Riku, I’ve been hired by the townspeople to eradicate a demon for them.”

There was a sound from behind him, like a laugh. Riku spun around, turning to peer into the next room. He swore he could see someone on the edge of his vision, but when he turned they were gone. Fingering at the bottle of blessed water in his pocket, he moved forward, hoping he wouldn’t have to use it.

The next room was empty, too, save for the remains of a fireplace. Strangely, he could feel a heat in there, as if a fire had been burning there just moments before. As he surveyed the area, guessing it had once been a sitting room, he felt a prickle on his neck: he was being watched.  
  
“I know if you were a demon I would have smelled you by now. Show yourself,” he called, doing his best to sound commanding. Demons and otherworldly creatures tended to carry a sulfuric smell; this presence felt too human.

Suddenly, there was another sound from behind him. He closed a hand around one of his potions and turned to face the source.

A form was leaning against the railing of the broken stairs, their skin blackened and flaking in places, as if they were scarred from burns, and blood red hair pushed back into spikes. Riku found himself meeting two acid green eyes.

He seemed faded, not quite as ephemeral as a spirit, but as if he was flickering, flame-like. He wore a high-collared coat of an older design, frayed and stained and hanging off his slender frame--the rich embroidery on it suggested that the man had been wealthy.

Now, though, he was anything but a man.

The man that wasn’t quite a man spoke abruptly, his voice was low and warm, but with a hint of patronising sharpness. “You’re not yelling or throwing things, that's a start,” the two green orbs he had for eyes narrowed as they studied him.  
  
Riku didn’t reply, as a sudden wave of nausea hit him, sending his head spinning. As he made eye contact with the man, the house’s interior had changed. In a blink, furniture filled the rooms, along with light, warmth. The stairs and railing were now intact. It was as if time had never touched the place.

“Oh,” gasped Riku, reeling from shock. The very air was heavy, as if a thick humidity had settled; sweat trickled down his face as he tried to resist the pressure building around him.

“Are you okay, Snow White?” The man sighed, striding towards Riku with a surprising carelessness. Despite his appearance, there was no malice in his movement, and he didn’t seem threatening.

“Riku,” he gave a half-bow; now able to see the other better, he realised the man wasn’t a demon at all. A knot formed in his stomach; Riku would’ve recognized the signs of a corrupted soul anywhere.

“Welcome to my home. You can call me... Axel. I’d tell you to get it memorized, but, well, you won’t be remembering me anyway.” He grinned in a way that was probably meant to be inviting; his teeth and gums were blackened, skin pale in contrast. Riku did his best not to back away.

“Axel, I’m sorry for the intrusion,” he nodded curtly, averting his eyes to study the furniture. His hand rested on a potion bottle. “Why wouldn’t I remember you?”

“Because everyone I meet forgets me” Axel replied. His voice lowered, a pained expression crossing his distorted features.

“Everyone?” Riku massaged his temples. He hadn’t come prepared for this at all. He started to ask another question, but his breath caught, head reeling as he stumbled backwards, feet slipping out from under him, and he fell.

The floor never came. Axel looked down at him with a concerned frown. He had caught Riku, arms wrapped around his waist.

“Are you ok? Are you sick?” and then, as if to himself. “Why does this always happen…”

Riku sighed, straightening his coat as he sat up, the world still spinning. Realising he couldn’t stay much longer, he took out his journal, and without a word, began to write.

> _I can't say for sure, not without using magic of my own, but it seems like ‘Axel’ has been the subject of some powerful curses; his appearance indicates how corroded his soul had become from being trapped._

“Uh, pray tell what you’re doing?” Axel was peering down at him with a curious expression.

“Cataloging our meeting to make sure I come prepared next time.”

Axel watched him for a while longer, before moving to sit beside him. Riku could feel a coldness coming off him, a sure sign of corruption. It worried him. Someone this far gone could become a wraith at any moment.

“Can I help in any way?” Riku glanced up to meet bright green pupils. He imagined that, much like his home, Axel would’ve been very beautiful before the curse.

“Um,” Riku glanced away quickly, “Could you tell me more about yourself? About how long you’ve been trapped in your home?”

Axel frowned in response, bits of skin flaking as he did. “I’ve been forgetting.” He tugged at the hem of his coat. “Truth be told, I’m not even sure how long I’ve been here. I do know you're the first visitor I’ve had in a while...”

Riku looked away, frowning. “I see. Well, I’m sure we can find a way to help you remember.” He bit his lip, wondering if the forgetfulness was the curse or the time spent trapped. “I think I should leave for now.”

Riku made to stand, but suddenly felt a hand clutch his arm. “Wait - you can’t leave yet. Can’t you stay for a little bit longer?” Axel was looking up at him, a pleading look in his tired features.

“If I stay, it’s likely I’ll forget even more.” Riku replied, regret sweeping through him. By the age of the manor, Axel had been trapped there for decades. Alone, forgotten. Riku took his hand. “I promise I’ll do all I can to help you. It’s my job.”

“Ok.” Axel nodded, and Riku let go of his hand.

He woke in his room, covers pulled around him and a wet cloth on his forehead. He felt feverish, his head aching.

“Oh, thank the gods you’ve woken.” He knew that voice - it was Demyx, the guardsmen that was going to take him to the haunted manor.

“What happened? Why am I here? I thought we - we were” Riku paused, head still muddled.

“I-I’m afraid you’ve already visited the manor. I had to carry you back here after you came stumbling out. I was about to go get the priest.”

“No, don’t. I’m okay.” Riku sat up, pushing the blankets off. He was still in his traveling clothes. It was dark outside, the lamps already lit. ”How long was I in there?” He pulled his journal out as Demyx bit his lip.

“At least five hours, I- I may have drifted off.”

“Five hours!?” Riku opened his journal to the most recently used pages; notes he had no memory of writing greeted him.

> _I’ve met a cursed man named Axel, the corruption has taken him almost completely, I am surprised with the little humanity he has left._

There was something familiar about the name Axel, and Riku caught himself gazing at it sadly.

Someone needed his help. There was a curse that needed to be broken, and if he meant to break it, it would mean research. “You can leave for now, I need to think.” Riku murmured.

He spent the night reviewing his notes. There were only three pages, and he found it strange he would write so little in such a long span of time, although perhaps time moved differently in the manor.

Tired but determined, Riku made his way to the town hall the next day, pouring over old deeds and history. He became frustrated when he realised there were no records older than eighty years; the books were either missing or destroyed. All he could find was a faded book of photographs, hidden away in the dusty, un-catalogued shelves.

“All the rest are in the city,” the eccentric, aging bookkeeper had snapped when Riku inquired. “If they don’t live here no more, they get sent to the archives. I can order ‘em in, but they won’t arrive for at least three days.”

“That’s fine,” Riku had sighed. “Just leave me a note at the inn when they arrive.” He took the photo album with him, wondering if it would be of any use if he couldn’t even remember what Axel looked like.

All Riku had left to do was visit the manor again. He made a note of the time before making his way up the path towards the dilapidated building, his boots crunching against the fallen leaves. He didn't know what to expect of Axel, but was interested in meeting him again.

As he pushed past the entrance, he was met with a rush of magical energy - and the sound of music. Closing his eyes for a moment, Riku nearly lost his footing when a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

“Riku?” A strangely familiar voice. He glanced up, meeting with two bright green eyes.

“Axel, I assume?” Riku tried not to let his gaze linger on the signs of corruption in the man’s features.

“Ah, right, you forgot…” Axel sighed, a pout forming on his face, but it was quickly replaced by a sly smile. “You did remember my name, though”.

“My journal did, really. But yes.” Riku returned the smile, relieved by Axel’s welcoming disposition. “I came back because my search for information was… disappointing. I was wondering if you could tell me anything - about yourself, really.” At these words, Axel perked up, eyes growing brighter.

“I’d be more than happy to talk - I’ve actually remembered more since last time.” He smiled, brushing his wiry hair back. “I was just playing some music - it helps pass the time. Want to join me? I could show you around the house” As he swept his hand towards the next room, Riku became aware that things had changed. Just as his journal described, everything was now glowing with light and polished wood, a rug beneath his feet.

Riku had only read of closed spaces in books, and many of them warned of the dangers - time could pass differently, a soul could become trapped. Riku had no doubt such a thing had befallen his new friend.

With a sigh, he bowed his head in response. “Very well, but I can’t linger for too long.” He glanced down at the books in his hands. “Oh, and, I bought you this. Maybe it will help you remember something.” He handed Axel the photo album.

“Thanks!” Axel smiled, flicking through the pages, “There aren’t any photos here, for some reason…” he waved a hand to indicate the house, and then shrugged. With that, Axel led him around the house, Riku trying to ignore the flashes of the real world he would see at the corners of his vision.

“Your home is beautiful” Riku commented as he pulled out his journal and quill, trying to keep up conversation.

“Thank you.” Axel commented, cocking his head at Riku, and following his gaze. “Lately… I’ve started to notice a change. It’s been colder… I’ve been colder, even with the fire lit every day. Though I swear it shouldn’t be winter yet.” His voice was hushed, as if talking to himself. Riku had to lean closer to listen. At the movement, Axel turned his gaze back to him, “Are you going to write? I can tell you what I remember.”

Riku scratched at the paper nervously as Axel’s eerie green eyes focused on him. “Yes, that would be good.”

“Ok,” He replied, smiling slightly, though Riku caught a flash of sadness in his gaze. He gazed out towards the window, where an endless image of spring was preserved outside. The scar-like tissue on his face shifted with his frown. “I remember, I moved here with my father when he was sent here for work. I grew up here.” He paused as if thinking.

“It was always so small compared to the city, but I grew close to the other children, even... even after...” He watched Riku write, gazing at the movement of his hand. “I think my father died. Something happened, he was sick, I can barely recall…” His brows furrowed in thought, “I know I’ve been stuck in here for a while - if I try to leave, I just end up back in my room. The last date I remember, it was the nearly the end of 1652.”

Riku nearly dropped his quill. No wonder he hadn’t found any information on the house, Axel had been there for over a hundred years. His soul trapped... Riku wrote furiously, head aching.

After several moments of writing, Riku realised Axel was still silent. Glancing up from his writing, his heart clenched when he saw the pained expression on the redhead’s face. “Axel?” Riku felt a chill sweep the room as he uttered the name.

“...‘Axel’, that’s not even my name. I’ve tried to remember it... but it’s jumbled. No matter - no matter what I do,” his voice had grown hoarse, head turned away, body shivering. “What does it matter if you save me? Everyone I’ve ever loved, cared for - they’ve forgotten me. Everyone that visits forgets me.” He let out a sob; black, inky tears streamed down his face.

Riku stood, carefully approaching the weeping man and resting by his side. “I didn’t forget you, I’m still here - and I’ll keep visiting until I can fix this.” The lights flickered slightly.

Axel sobbed, eyes shut as the streaks of black marked his cheeks. “Please. Don’t leave me like everyone else,”

All his life, Riku had trained to defeat monsters and demons, to send spirits, to cleanse cursed places. He’d learnt magic and potion-brewing, studied every religion and myth there was. But. He’d never been prepared for a moment like this, not on the secluded isle where he’d been raised.

Hand shaking, half from fear and half from his own emotions, he reached up and gently held Axel’s shoulder. “I’m going to save you,” he was surprised by how choked his voice sounded, restricted by the lump in his throat. “Please, keep trying to remember your past - it may help - And after that, I promise we can be friends, and we can talk without fear of forgetting.”

Axel nodded, breathing deep as a hand rose to clutch at his chest. He smiled weakly, “Thank you, Riku.”

 

Riku woke in the middle of the clearing, forget-me-nots sticking to his clothes, the hard blue buds dotted along his jacket like freckles. Tall grass surrounded him as he sat up, disoriented and shivering. What had happened?

The last thing he could remember, he had been searching the town library for information. His head thumped as he pulled out his journal, slowly looking around in the process. It was already dark, and the old house loomed several meters behind him.

He’d been inside.

Frantically flicking through the pages of the journal, he came to a new set of notes. The black ink became frantic near the end.

> _I fear ‘Axel’ may become a wraith any day now._
> 
> _Why would you curse someone to be forgotten?_

Riku stared at the words, taking them in with a growing anxiety. Sparing a glance back at the building, he hurried to town. Riku didn’t head back to his room, though. Instead he made his way through the winding streets to the stables, finding his horse.

He needed to break the curse.

He rode all through the night and into the morning, soft whispers of a hastening spell hurrying his mount along the muddied roads. By midday, the city loomed into view, its high walls and the call of street vendors greeting him as he rode in.

The archive was a dusty place, two levels under the city hall, its rows of shelves stuffed with old scrolls and books seemingly endless. If the information he needed was anywhere, it would be there.

Riku used scrying spells to aid his search, scrolls flying from their shelves at his command. Though, try as he did to find Axel, it was as if Kilburn had become a ghost town. There were hints of a sickness taking the town over a hundred years ago, wiping whole families out, and little else. On top of that, he didn’t even know Axel’s true name.

It was dark when he began to give up, the candles flickering low on the desk he’d occupied. He was so exhausted that he didn’t hear the soft footsteps approaching from behind, bare feet padding against the stone floors.

“You’ve been here quite a while, Sir. Could I aid you?” Riku twitched in shock when he realised he was no longer alone. Turning in his chair, he was greeted by a girl with pale blond hair and sad eyes, her smile as soft as her demeanor. A white dress clung to her, and over that, a fur-trimmed mantle of a pastel grey.

Taking a moment to collect himself, he nodded. “Yes - I’m searching for information on a house in Kilburn. On a family that lived there over a hundred years ago.” Riku was surprised when the girl smiled.

“You’re trying to break the curse. I see” Her voice was soft and musical, low enough that Riku had to strain to hear.

“Yes I - how did you know? Are you from the town-?”

Another smile. “You won’t find the information here, or anywhere. The one that cast the spell made sure of that.” She shuffled past him, picking up his journal to flit through the pages. “I’ll give you a hint.” She pulled a silver quill from her coat and pressed it carefully to the page.  
  
“Wait, what? Who are you?” Riku made to stand, but found his head growing dizzy.

“Good luck,” the girl smiled, and Riku woke. His head was nestled on the desk, the scroll he’d been reading still open beneath his hand. He was beginning to get used to waking up at random, though this time his memories were clear.

Rattled, he flipped open his journal. There was a new note - written in his own hand.

> _Why would you curse someone to be forgotten? -_
> 
> _Memories bind us to this world - We can find immortality in being remembered; and the more you believe in a memory - the stronger it becomes._
> 
> _His name is Lea._

Riku’s stomach turned, an uneasy weight twisting in his chest. Lea. For a moment, he swore he remembered something - a man with vermillion red hair and warm green eyes, a lopsided smile that lit up his face. But it was gone as soon as he tried to grasp it, like water slipping through fingers.

Standing, Riku gazed uneasily around the archives. “Thank you, spirit,” he whispered, signing in thanks to the empty halls. Someone had tried to erase Lea - and even the town - from history, ensuring he would be trapped in their curse forever.

“Who did you spurn to deserve this…?” Riku asked, staring at the name scrawled in his journal.

Early the next morning, Riku made for Kilburn, mind and heart racing at the thought of solving the mysteries of the manor, of the town. The more he thought about it the more he was sure there was more to Lea’s story.

Not bothering to stop in town, Riku made directly for the forest trail. If his journal was right - Lea didn’t have much time left.

Tying his horse to a tree, Riku gazed up at the manor. It was already dark, and from where he stood the place looked much more foreboding than he remembered. Not one to rush in without a plan, he searched his saddle bags, taking out a glowing crystal and holding it overhead.

The path ahead illuminated, he strode forward. The manor creaked as he entered, the chill of magic rushing over him as he crept past the threshold. Breath caught in his throat, Riku found it hard to speak.

“Axel?” He used the name most familiar to him, but no reply came, just the soft rattle of leaves in the wind. Stomach turning, Riku reached into his pockets for a potion, hand gripping it in fear. Maybe he was too late.

Gulping back bile, he called again, voice cracking with concern, “Lea - It’s me - Riku.” A rushing sensation gripped him as he was pulled into the cursed plane, the room around him suddenly changed to a furnished living area. The fire beside him burned low, sending flickering shadows across the walls.

“Riku… What did you just call me?”

Riku jumped, spinning to see the figure leaning against the wall behind him. Streaks of black marked his face like tears, “I called you by your name, Lea,” Riku replied, voice low.

Recognition flickered in the venomous green eyes, and the near-wraith frowned. “My name.” Riku nodded, heart aching with an uncomfortable misery. Perhaps he couldn’t remember all his time with Lea, but his heart did.

Pacing over, caution thrown out for something more, Riku stood before him. “You look worse than… than I imagined you would,” the thought of the smiling young man he’d remembered in the archives came back to him.

“I tried to remember more after you left, but the more I tried, the more it hurt.” Lea answered, hand clutching his chest as if in pain. Feeling helpless, Riku reached out, taking his hand in his.

“Lea-”

“Riku...” Lea murmured, gazing at him as if just realising he was there. “You should leave. I can feel it… I’m… fading away.”

“No.” Riku pulled back, shaking his head. “Tell me what happened to you - I need to know.”

Lea looked away, his eyes flickering sadly. “I was tricked… we were tricked.” He took something out of his pocket, a picture with a group of young, smiling people. One of them - No, two of them - Riku knew; one, his red hair vibrant even in the sepia toned image; and the other, a blond girl with sad, quiet eyes.

“Who tricked you? Why? Someone had destroyed the town archives… I… I couldn’t learn anything.”

Lea frowned, shoulders slumping. “A man, he came to the village, promising youth and health to those that took his potion. Some did, myself and my friends included…” The fire beside them seemed to die as Lea spoke, the darkness growing. “So, when people began to fall ill, of course more went to him… if only we’d known.”

“The plague…”

Lea nodded. “Everyone… everyone started dying. They’d lose their minds to the fever. Even my father.” A pause. Riku watched as Lea took in a breath, as if to steady himself. “Anyone that hadn’t listened to the man started to succumb. And I realised, it was him… he’d done this. I don’t know why, but he wanted us to take that potion! I had to find out why, so I snuck into his rooms in the night - but.” Lea shook his head. “I was caught.” Fear flashed in Lea’s eyes as he remembered. “He said I was cursed now, that I’d outlive everyone I cared for. That I should join him like the others, if I knew what was good for me… but, how could I? My friends had always meant more to me than power or youth.”

Riku stared at him, head aching from the curse, his eyes watering as he strained to listen.

“He said that if I wouldn’t join him, then I’d lose my friendships, my connections, everything I held dear. I didn’t realise what he meant.” Lea’s lips trembled as he spoke, “I wanted to warn someone, and I tried to run. But even with the powers he’d given me, I... something, he did something, and I… I’ve been here.”

“The curse...” Whispered Riku, shaking his head in disgust. “But - you remembered… and your name, your friends… why?” The more Lea spoke, the more he deteriorated, and the worse Riku’s head hurt, and Riku struggled to understand. Wasn’t this--? His thoughts returned his notes again.

_Memories bind us to this world - We can find immortality in being remembered; and the more you believe in a memory - the stronger it becomes._

“It’s not you who needs to remember.” Riku murmured, heart hammering in realisation. He’d been an idiot. Of course! “I’m… I’m the one that needs to remember. This curse on you, it was to make you forgotten - the man you spurned, they destroyed records of you - of your family, friends - even of the plague. Lea… I’m sorry.” Riku had lost.

After everything, he wasn’t going to be able to save Lea. He would just forget when he left, like he always did, and Lea would become a wraith - forgotten and feared.

Tears began to fall down Riku’s cheeks, hot and slow, gasps of sadness shaking him. No one deserved this. He had to find him - the man that had cursed Lea. He was going to find him, and kill him. Before he could speak again, a hand gripped his shoulder.

Lea gazed down at him, something warm lighting his eyes. “It’s ok, Riku - thank you. You’re the only one that ever tried. Thank you… for being my friend,” he laughed warmly, the sound echoing in the room. Riku could feel the vertigo of the curse taking him, his head pounding from being there so long.

“Lea--”

And then he woke up.

He was still in the manor, sunlight from the windows streaming over him, illuminating the dust particles in the air. There was no sound, no music, no ghostly laughter. But there was one thing.

Riku could remember. He lay there, hardly daring to breathe as his memories of Lea flooded over him in waves. Heart hammering against his chest, he sat up, eyes watering as his head split from pain, the scrunched photograph still in his hands.

“Hey, are you ok?”

The voice broke through his headache. It was warm, like a low burning fire, and Riku’s heart nearly leapt from his chest. He stood quickly, eyes easily finding him.

It was Lea.

He looked disoriented, bright vermillion hair pulled back into a bun, olive skin dashed with freckles, his deep green eyes reflecting the yellow of the sunlight. There was no corrosion, no curse. Riku was hardly breathing as he ran to him.

“Lea! You’re - you.” Riku couldn’t speak, simply pulling him into an embrace. “You’re ok,” he breathed.

"Riku?" Lea pulled away. He looked lost, eyes darting around them as he took in the time-destroyed manor. Eventually though, his gaze found Riku's, and, before Riku could speak, he was pulled in again, and he realised Lea was kissing him.

It was warm and soft, so he let himself be pulled into the moment. When he finally released him, still smiling, Riku stumbled back, face pink and heart fluttering.

“You remember?” Lea asked.

“I remember.”

**Author's Note:**

> For Kingdom Hearts Worlds Connected on tumblr! Special thanks to my friends Melony and Amelli ;w; May be continued after I finish Bound to You.


End file.
